Bravo Strawberries, a welcome sign of summer.

Are you planting strawberries this year? I am inspired to plant these delectable red berries, something I haven’t done recently. What an oversight!

I planted a six pack of Chandler strawberries this weekend, which grow well all across the United States. Next weekend I aim to buy a six pack of another variety, not selected yet, and plant it too.

There are three types of strawberries: June bearing (one large crop of berries in late spring/early June), Everbearing (2 crops, in late spring and early fall), and the newer Day-neutral which give berries throughout much of the season, with smaller fruits and few runners, so they do well in pots and in borders.

June Bearing

Chandler strawberries are a vigorous early midseason June bearer variety, generally with the largest berries, hardy in zones 5-8. They bear a single large crop, over a period of three to four weeks, in May or June, depending upon where you live and when you plant. These strawberries do especially well on the east coast and in California.

Mesabi strawberries were developed in Minnesota and not surprisingly, have excellent cold tolerance.

Annapolis are midseason bearing and vigorous plants, producing lots of runners and a great choice for many gardens, including the mid-Atlantic region.

Everbearing

Fort Laramie is an older excellent variety, with plenty of runners if you pick early blossoms.

Quinault is a quick producer, yielding berries in four to five weeks, and gives few runners so does well in pots and in borders and is praised for taste by many gardeners.

Rainier has large berries and is a Northwest favorite.

Day Neutral

In areas too cold for overwintering, day neutral strawberries can be grown as annuals, planted in early spring, flowers pinched off the first two months, and producing berries three months after planting, from July to frost.

Tribute is popular in the northeast and midwest and cooler climates, is disease resistant and produces lots of runners.

Strawberries need plenty of water and food, a minimum of six hours of sun, and mulch is important, both to prevent the roots from drying out, and to keep the strawberries from resting on the soil. Straw is the traditional mulch, although I am mulching with cocoa shell hulls this year. Feed with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer, but do not over fertilize or your strawberries will have large plants and many leaves with less fruits. A good soaking of one to two inches of water each week is ideal. It is best to pinch off flowers when planting, which will yield a better root system and healthy runners.

Hanging baskets are ideal and the berries’ bright reds will liven up your patio, as long as you keep the moisture constant. Don’t forget to water the plants during a heat wave!

 

Copyright © by Terra Hangen